TWO heavily-armed members of a notorious kidnapping-for-ransom gang which have gained notoriety for posing as ‘PDEA or PNP’ agents each time they operate in Metro Manila and Central Luzon were killed in a gunbattle with agents of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group and the Zambales Police Provincial Office in Botolan at around 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas said yesterday.
Sinas said members of the PNP-AKG under Brigadier Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo and the Zambales Police Provincial headed by Colonel Romano V. Cardino were forced to fire back at the suspects when they started shooting at them as they were approaching the kidnappers’ hideout in Sitio Alao, Bgy. San Juan.
Killed in the shootout were Michael Corpus and a still unidentified member of the Ryan Bon ’Mokong’ de la Cruz KFR Syndicate.
Recovered from the possession of the slain suspects were one M-16 automatic rifle, one caliber .45 pistol, two cal. .38 revolvers and dozens of live ammunition and heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu.
Sinas said that Corpus turned out to be the subject of a warrants of arrest for two counts of kidnapping-for-ransom and two warrants for violation of the anti-child abuse law issued by Judge Byron San Pedro of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 69; and a warrant of arrest for carnapping and kidnapping-for-ransom issued by Judge Feix Reyes of the Taguig City RTC Branch 70.
